A Soldier's Coming Home
by Maybe an HEA Contest
Summary: The first letter came less than a week after he rode out of her life on that Greyhound bus. "What are we fighting for? Why me, why war?"


_**Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**_

_Soundtrack/inspiration- "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks_

_**A Soldier's Coming Home**_

_Forks, WA  
August, 1971_

He stepped through the door, barely noticing the tinkling of the bell as he took a deep breath of the fresh homey scents. Apple pie, roast beef, and he could swear he could smell that chocolate cake taunting him from the front counter.

It was just as he leaned over to lift the glass lid on the cake plate that she stepped through the swinging door from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron as she reached up to brush a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. He looked up, embarrassed at being caught, but the words he was going to say died on his tongue as he met her warm brown eyes.

She took in the crisp green uniform and hat pulled down low over long blond curls, wondering what made this new recruit get off the bus here in Forks instead of continuing on to Seattle or Portland. With his sun-kissed skin and sky blue eyes he certainly was a looker.

At that thought, her face heated up with a blush and she lifted her hand to press at her warm cheeks, finally finding her tongue. "Hi. Welcome to Forks Diner. Can I get you something?"

He sat down on the barstool across from her, unable to keep his hands away when he noticed a light trail of flour streaked across her beautiful pink cheek. He reached up to gently wipe it away with his thumb, smiling as he did so. "Sure thing, darlin'. I'd like a big ol' slice of this chocolate cake here."

Her heart sped as she heard his slow drawl, so different from the voices she was used to hearing every day. She wanted to ask him where he was from, what his name was, and so many other things. But between her natural shyness and the uniform he wore that showed his destination, she simply nodded and went to cut a slice of cake for him.

He frowned slightly when she didn't respond to his natural charm as other girls had, and he was surprised to find that he was actually a little hurt. He _wanted_ this girl to like him, but he had no idea why it was so important. He waited until she set the cake down, and he covered her hand with his before she could pull away.

Ducking a bit to catch her eye, he smiled again, noticing the way her eyes drifted down to his lips. "Thanks so much, Bella," he said, after checking her nametag. "Now do you think you can sit down here with me while I enjoy this?"

Bella stuttered, caught off guard by his apparent interest, but the bell over the door jingled again and she shook her head in regret. "I'm sorry, I can't right now." He looked so disappointed that she couldn't help but add, "But I get off in an hour—if you want to go somewhere else?"

His answering smile lit up the dreary café, and she couldn't hold back a grin of her own. "I'd love that, darlin'," he told her. "My name's Jasper, by the way."

She kept glancing his way as she worked the rest of her shift, not even noticing the knowing looks of the loggers at the back booth or the jeers from her school classmates. She couldn't get over the fact that this handsome boy noticed _her_! Nobody ever noticed Bella. Everyone's attention was always on her sister, Rose, of course. She was the beautiful cheerleader who had inherited their mother's long blonde hair and flawless body.

Growing up in Rosalie's shadow, Bella was just the mousy younger sister, with their father's brown eyes and hair. She was quiet and studious, but cute in her own way.

Jasper, however, thought she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. He wanted to spend a little time with her before he had to turn himself over to the government.

When her shift was over, Bella rushed to hang up her apron and try to straighten her clothes a bit before hurrying back out to meet Jasper at the counter. She was surprised to note that when he stood, she only came up to his shoulder.

Jasper let her lead the way out the door, keeping his hand gently at the base of her spine to guide her. He'd rather put his arm around her and pull her close to his side, but he figured he better give her time to warm up to him. She seemed so bashful; it didn't appear she had a lot of experience with boys.

Bella led him to the pier across the street, thinking they could look at the river and watch the seagulls playing overhead. She hoped he would think of things to talk about because conversation was not her strong suit. It seemed completely natural for him to take her hand as they stepped out on the weather-beaten wood, only letting go long enough to shrug out of his jacket when she shivered as the wind picked up.

Jasper was cold, being from Texas and all, but he would have to get used to being uncomfortable, and holding hands with a pretty girl who was wearing his jacket seemed like a good place as any to start.

As they gazed out over the water, he found himself opening up to her in a way he never had before. He told her about his family—his parents would be struggling on the farm with his brother Peter home injured and Jasper off to fight in his place.

He talked about how Peter's wife, Charlotte, had offered to drive him down to Mexico before his birthday, but he couldn't deal with the shame of dodging the draft that way. "I'm sorry," he said with a bitter laugh. "You probably don't want to hear all this. I'm sure you have friends you'd rather be with right now."

Bella reached up and cupped his cheek, a thrill rushing through her at the feel of his light stubble against her tender skin. "Jasper, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

She let out a squeak when he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, but she found herself responding quickly as he pulled her closer. His hands roamed over her body, sure and steady, while her own were shaking as she reached up to tangle her fingers in his soft curls.

Her eyes were wide with innocence when he finally pulled away and asked her if she'd like to come with him to his room for the night. He knew he had to catch the first bus in the morning to make it to California on time, but, more than anything, he really wanted just one night with this beautiful girl.

Bella followed him down the road to the only motel in Forks, glancing around furtively to make sure no one witnessed where she was going. She breathed a little easier once Jasper closed the door, though her nerves picked up when she saw the way he was looking at her.

"Um, I need to call my house and let my dad know I won't be home tonight," she stuttered out, wringing her hands as she began to have second thoughts about the wisdom of accepting his invitation.

"Hey," Jasper murmured as he stepped close and took her trembling hands in his. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. No pressure here, sweetheart."

She relaxed a bit more as he pulled her close to his chest for a gentle hug, but the feel of his firm body against hers began to excite her in a completely different way. She took a deep breath and peered up at him from beneath her lashes, looking completely sexy without even trying. "Believe me," she said quietly, but firmly, "I want to."

Jasper watched as she slipped to the phone on the wall and dialed the familiar number to her home, praying that her father would answer. Of course, with her luck it was the bored tone of her older sister instead.

"Um, hey, Rose. It's me"

"_What do you want? And why aren't you home yet?"_

Bella sighed and Jasper didn't miss the way her shoulders curled in defensively. "Look, Rose, can you just give Daddy a message for me? Tell him I'm staying the night at Angela's, okay?"

"_Whatever. You know he's working the night shift. What am I supposed to do now?"_

Bella's anger made a rare appearance, and Jasper had to stifle a laugh as she stamped her foot on the shag carpet. She was sick and tired of everything revolving around Rosalie and _her_ needs. Bella had needs too.

"I don't care what you do, Rose. Go stay at Emmett's house, or with Tanya. Hell, spend the night alone like you've made me do since I was twelve!" Bella startled herself by hanging up the phone on her sister. She sat there staring at the handset in shock, until Jasper came up behind her and began to softly kiss her neck as he ran his hands down her arms.

"Everything okay?" he asked when she turned back to face him. She just nodded, and then surprised him by rising up on her toes to kiss him. He groaned as he pulled her soft body against him, needing the contact and comfort as the evening slipped into night.

As eager as he was, he didn't want to rush either. He wasn't the kind of guy to jump into bed with just anyone, and he knew that night—that sweet moment—was probably his last chance at something meaningful before the Army would own him. He had no interest in a meaningless fling, but Bella really seemed like the kind of girl he could bring home to his momma someday.

Bella had no idea what she was doing, but there was no way she was going to tell Jasper. She'd kissed a few boys from school, most never going farther than that out of fear of her police chief father.

She didn't have any guidance in the romance area, other than what she and her friends whispered about in the school bathroom or at their slumber parties.

Her mom wasn't around to talk to or ask advice from. She had taken off when Bella was just two years old, leaving both her daughters in the care of their father. He had said she was a free spirit, and he couldn't hold her back anymore.

Rosalie was a decent sister, but she didn't have any maternal feelings toward the younger girl, and she resented every bit of the responsibility her father foisted off on her when he was at work. So Bella was pretty much running on instinct there in that dingy motel room.

Jasper reached up and untied the ribbon that was tied around her thick ponytail. He let her hair fall down around her shoulders, using his fingers to separate the wavy strands gently—almost reverently. Bella felt her body heat at his attention, and her breath stuttered when he reached for her hand to lead her over to the bed.

Bella leaned up to meet his kiss, melting into his touch as his hands began to move over her body. He held her eyes as he unbuttoned her dress, smiling fondly at the blush that heated her pale cheeks.

Her breathing hitched as he slipped the dress from her shoulders, followed quickly by her bra. She looked up at him in awe, standing there in nothing but her plain white cotton panties. His light blue eyes darkened as he looked down at her, ducking his head to kiss her once more as he urged her to lie back on the bed.

It was her turn to watch as he tugged off his tee and hastily slipped his pants off. Her eyes wouldn't leave his waist as he reached for his standard-issue olive green boxer shorts. She had no idea what to expect, but his straining erection caught her more than a little off guard.

"Hey," he murmured as he crawled over her slowly. "No rush, okay? We'll go at your pace."

He held himself up as he leaned down to kiss her, feeling her gradually relax enough to reach up and tentatively place her hands on his shoulders. When he pulled away to let her breathe, he lowered his mouth to her throat and began kissing his way down her body, enjoying the way her chest began to heave with her quick, excited breaths.

Bella turned herself over to the sensations, panting heavily as he lined himself up and pushed his way past her barrier. She didn't hear the words he spoke—just the soothing tone he used to reassure her as he kissed away the tears that she wasn't able to hold back.

Jasper was a tender lover, moving his hips in a sensuous rhythm that didn't push her too fast or too far. She was surprised by the feelings coursing through her, focusing on an ever-narrowing point near where their bodies were joined. At a quick movement of his fingers, she fell over the edge, dragging him along with her.

She was a little surprised when Jasper rolled to his back and pulled her up to cuddle against him. She listened quietly as he began to talk, confessing the fears he had about his new assignment. He asked her if she would mind him writing to her, and she blushed when he hopped out of bed naked to get a pen and paper to jot down her address.

They fell asleep in each other's arms after he had his way with her once more, carrying her along with him, and when she awoke the next morning she was alone. His jacket hung on the chair by the desk, and a note sat beside it.

_Thanks for everything. Don't forget me. –Jasper_

~oOo~

The first letter came less than a week after he rode out of her life on that Greyhound bus. He described the army base where he would spend eight weeks in training, and he enclosed a picture of himself with his new buzzed haircut. She couldn't help but cry as she ran her finger over the soft blond curl he'd taped to the page.

_Without you here to pull my hair, I guess I don't need it anymore. –J_

Three weeks after he left, Bella woke with a jolt, her stomach twisting and rolling. She sprinted down the hallway to the bathroom she shared with her sister, barely reaching the toilet before her stomach emptied violently. She spent a few minutes there on the floor, but began to feel better almost immediately. "Must have been something I ate," she mused quietly as she brushed her teeth and began to get ready for school.

Rosalie caught her the third morning Bella's race to the bathroom was repeated, cornering her younger sister and demanding to know if pregnancy was a possibility. Bella blushed and cried as she confessed her night in the motel with the handsome stranger—the stranger who sent her another letter as soon as he reached his camp in Vietnam.

_It's crazy over here, a completely different world. I miss your pretty smile… Love, Jasper_

"Bella, you're fifteen years old! You're too young to know what love is, and too young to be waiting for some soldier who is half a world away! And you're damn sure too young to be a _mother_!" Rosalie hissed as the girls huddled in the tiny bathroom.

"I'll be sixteen next week, Rose," Bella shot back as she glared up at her older sister. "And if you don't have anything helpful to say, then at least keep your mouth shut about this. I don't need Daddy finding out until I can figure out what to do."

~oOo~

Jasper's letters came faithfully every two weeks. His notes sounded almost like a diary, but through his words Bella gained a better understanding of the man who had sired her child. She fell in love with him through those long fall months and on into the winter, clinging to his promises of a future in Texas, and warm summer days on his family's farm.

She'd been successful in hiding her growing little problem, but Easter morning changed everything. Bella was moving slow that morning, tired from working extra shifts at the diner. She dressed quickly for church in a figure-hiding peasant dress that belted loosely around her hips, turning to the left and right to be sure her small belly was hidden carefully in the flowing fabric.

Bella opened the bathroom door and headed quickly into the hallway, not paying attention where she was going. She ran straight into her father, and he caught her by the waist to steady her. It took her a minute to look up when she realized that his hands weren't moving, and when she glanced at his face, his eyes were glued to her stomach.

"Bells?" he whispered hoarsely, sounding absolutely horrified. "Bells, what the hell is going on?"

Rosalie heard the commotion and stepped up behind her sister, offering Bella her silent support in the face of their previously loving father. "Daddy, it's not what you think. I just–" Bella tried to explain as Charlie's face turned a deep red and he shook his head in denial.

"Not what I think?!" he roared, shaking her just a bit. "So it's not that you're _pregnant_? It's not that my sixteen-year-old _daughter _is going to have a fucking _baby?!_"

Bella flinched at the venom in his voice as he glared down at her. She couldn't hold back a whimper as his hands tightened against her skin. She let out a breath of relief when he let go of her, only to have her head snap back with his unexpected blow to her cheek.

Both girls froze in shock. In all their years, Charlie had never once raised a hand to either of them. They weren't disobedient children, and they pretty much stayed out of his way for the most part. Bella's eyes filled with tears of pain and shame as she leaned against her sister. Charlie's next words broke her heart. "Get out. Get out of my house."

"Daddy-" Rosalie tried to cut in, but the thunderous look on her father's face had her voice trailing off into silence. She put her arm around Bella and led her to her room, reaching into the back of her closet for a suitcase. "I'll help you pack, Bells."

Armed with nothing but her clothing, a few books, and a sock full of money saved from her time working at the diner, Bella boarded a bus heading south, absolutely shaking from head to toe. Rosalie quietly wiped her tears as she watched her baby sister ride away, unsure if she would ever see her again.

Bella wasn't there to receive the next letter from Jasper, but Rose kept it safely tucked away, out of sight of their father.

_It's getting rough over here, Bella. I might not be able to write for a while. All my love, Jasper._

~oOo~

It took the better part of five days to travel from the northwest corner of Washington State to East Texas. Bella felt rather gross after sleeping in bus stations and on the road, forgoing baths for almost a week. Still, when she stepped into the bright spring sun in Nacogdoches, she felt a brief surge of hope.

It didn't take long for that hope to turn to fear. She was standing on the side of the highway in what might as well have been a foreign country, it was that different from all she had ever known. Furthermore, she had gone as far as she could in her journey alone. She had no idea how to find Jasper's parents.

After taking a few moments to build her courage, Bella hoisted her suitcase and walked to the service station nearby. She thought she would get directions, and then she could make her way to the Whitlock farm. She wouldn't think about what would happen if they turned her away.

All eyes fell on her as she made her way through the door, and her cheeks heated up as she realized that the idle conversations had all ceased. She was thinking about turning around and walking out when an older woman walked up and introduced herself. "Hello, dear. I'm Miss Faye. Are you new around here?"

Bella looked up gratefully, remembering too late about the still-present bruise on her cheek. She saw Miss Faye's eyes narrow in on the mark, before they softened in sympathy and understanding. That look helped Bella find her voice. "Yes, I'm Bella. I was wondering if I could find someone to help me with some directions. I'm looking for the Whitlock farm."

Several loud gasps and murmured comments reminded her that they still had an audience, but Miss Faye glared over her head and lead her back toward a door at the back of the store. "Come with me, dear. We'll talk in my office."

Despite the warmth, Bella pulled Jasper's jacket tighter around her, and the shrewd eyes of the older woman caught the name embroidered above the pocket. She didn't say anything further, however, just continued toward the small office where she offered Bella a seat.

"Now, Bella, tell me how you know the Whitlocks."

Bella blushed, looking down at her hands that were clasped at her waist, subconsciously shielding her child. "Um, I actually only know Jasper," she murmured quietly. "I'm hoping his family will be willing to help me out."

The older woman cocked her head to the side, looking the young girl up and down in speculation. She noticed the loose shirt, and the way her hands were clasped in front of what should have been a very narrow waist. Faye was fairly certain she knew why Bella needed to find Jasper's family.

"Well, you're in luck," she stated, finally giving Bella just the ray of hope she needed. "The Whitlocks are my closest neighbors, and I would be happy to give you a ride out there when I start home."

~oOo~

Nettie Whitlock was enjoying a cup of tea with her best friend, Lucy, when a cloud of dust on the driveway announced an unexpected visitor. The distraction wasn't completely unwelcome as the ladies wiped the tears from their eyes after an hour of reminiscing, with pictures of Jasper spread around the table.

When Miss Faye stepped out of her truck, and then looked expectantly toward the passenger side door, the ladies' attention turned that way as well. Nettie wasn't sure just what to expect, but the petite brunette wearing an army jacket was the last thing she would have ever guessed.

Faye walked the girl up to the porch, keeping her tucked safely under her arm. "Nettie, this is Bella Swan. She's a… _friend_ of Jasper's. May we come in and talk about it, dear?"

Lucy glanced over at her daughter who had just come around the side of the porch. Maria's eyes were pinned to the girl who had appeared out of nowhere and had seemingly become her rival. Hatred clearly seeped from her every pore.

Faye took a calculated step to put herself between the girls and block both their views with her sturdy body. She'd never really liked the little Mexican girl all that much anyhow.

Unable to contain her taut nerves any longer, Bella let out a shudder and lifted her sleeve to wipe the tears that rose without warning. This was all so strange, and while she didn't particularly mind seeing Jasper's home and meeting his family, it would have been much better to have him by her side.

Her fragile movements brought her back to Nettie's attention, and Jasper's momma stepped forward with a friendly hand. "Welcome, sugar. He's written about you. Come in and tell me how you've come to be here."

Bella gave her a timid smile, then followed the older woman inside the cozy house, their other guests temporarily forgotten in their shared connection to the man they both loved. Faye eyed Lucy and Maria warily until they climbed back into their car and drove away. She hefted Bella's suitcase from her truck bed and hauled it up onto the porch. She knew Nettie wouldn't let the girl out of her sight.

It was an awkward conversation full of faltering starts and stops, and plenty of blushing, but Bella finally confessed how she met Jasper, and the unexpected result of that meeting.

Nettie's eyes flashed with righteous fury when she heard how Bella had been forced from her home, and she promptly led her new-found daughter upstairs to settle into Jasper's empty bedroom. If Nettie couldn't have her son under her roof, she'd at least have his child.

There was more blushing when Jasper's older brother and father came in from the fields for supper, and Bella was a little uncomfortable with Peter's intense scrutiny. Charlotte, his wife, eyed her with suspicion, knowing that while Jasper had a thing for petite brunettes, he generally liked them with more experience than Bella. She couldn't see what it was about Bella that had so fascinated her charismatic brother-in-law. She didn't miss the way her husband kept his eyes locked on the girl either.

Bella quietly accepted the compliments on the food she had helped prepare, and tried to ignore the way Peter constantly pressed his leg against hers under the table. She dared a glance up when his hand brushed her knee as he massaged his own thigh, ducking her head back down when he leaned over to whisper, "Sorry, sugar. My leg gets to crampin' up awful bad after bein' in the field all day. I'll have to _work_ it out later."

By the next day, everyone in town knew about Bella's arrival, and her obvious reason for being there. Maria was the prime suspect for the spread of gossip, though Charlotte was often spotted with the younger girl on her now-frequent trips to town for groceries. Maria and Charlotte were trading far more than fresh fruit and money if their conspiratorial looks were any indication.

Nettie and Faye worked to shelter Bella from censure when she did venture to town, and Nettie proved invaluable as the weeks passed and Bella's pregnancy became more apparent. They chatted about Jasper's childhood as they cooked for the family, and Nettie tried her best to teach Bella how to crochet little hats and baby booties for the newest little Whitlock.

By mutual agreement, the one thing they did not speak about was the fact that Jasper had not written home in almost a month.

~oOo~

Bella was enjoying the warm spring day one afternoon in late April when her world once again was turned on its head. The sound of approaching hoof beats didn't distract her from the book she was reading under a large oak tree, and it was only Peter's voice calling her name that made her look up.

"Bella, you need to come back to the house now. I'll walk you back," he said gravely, as he swung down stiffly from the horse and reached for her elbow to help her to her feet. His somber demeanor caught her off guard and made a knot of dread form deep in her stomach. She rubbed her hand over the tightening in her belly as they walked slowly back to the house.

Nettie was collapsed in the yard, cradled in her husband's strong arms as she wept. The sight of an unfamiliar car, and an even less familiar soldier, made Bella freeze in her tracks. Peter slipped his arm around her shoulder as she tried to make sense of the sight before her. Nettie's heartbroken wail sealed her fate.

"No! Not my Jasper! Not my baby! He can't be gone!"

~oOo~

Jasper Wayne Whitlock, Junior was born at dawn on April 27. Bella's shock at losing her Jasper had immediately sent her into early labor. Nettie tried to pull herself together, but it was Peter who ended up by Bella's side, holding her hand and talking her through the delivery. No one argued when he asked to cut the cord.

Alone in the hospital later that night, Bella hugged her sweet baby to her heart and let her tears fall free. She'd tried to be strong for the past eight months, but holding the tiny new life in her arms made everything glaringly real. She had a _son_—a son who no longer had a father. What on earth was she supposed to do?

Peter was in her room when she woke the next morning, sitting in the rocking chair cooing at his nephew in his arms. Jasper's soft blond curls peeked over the arm of Peter's rough work shirt, and Bella's breath caught in grief once more. Peter shouldn't be the one holding him—he belonged in his daddy's arms. His sunny, beautiful, bigger-than-life daddy.

Bella's tears drew the attention of the older man, and he rose unsteadily, still carefully cradling the baby. Bella couldn't stop her flinch when he sat on the edge of her bed just a little too close for her comfort. "He's a beautiful boy, Bell, and he's gonna need a strong man in his life now. I want you to know you can count on me to do right by my brother. I'll watch out for you and little Jasper here."

The words were honorable enough, but the gleam in his eye as he looked down at her sleep-mussed hair made a shiver tremble down her spine. She held as still as a mouse as he raised his finger to brush her hair out of her eyes before he leaned over to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. Her smile was forced when he looked down at her again, and she had to work hard not to snatch her son away from his all-too-willing hands.

~oOo~

Charlotte left in the middle of the night less than a week after the baby was born. The family had been studiously ignoring their arguments as she failed to become pregnant month after month, and it was clear that she felt their infertility was a result of Peter's war injury.

Bella wasn't sure she would have even noticed the older woman's absence if it wasn't for Nettie's constant worrying. After just seven days of motherhood, Bella felt like she was drowning. Jasper was a good baby, but all babies needed to eat and sleep at all hours of the day and night, and for a sixteen-year-old girl who'd never been around children before it was an overwhelming adjustment.

Nettie tried to help the girl, but she was mourning the loss of her youngest son. The baby offered some comfort, but it was a hollow one. She held the baby who looked so much like _her_ Jasper, apart from his mother's brown eyes.

Just after JJ—as they had taken to calling him—turned a month old, Peter quietly followed Bella up her room one night. She sat on her bed and prepared to nurse him until she suddenly realized she wasn't alone. She gasped as he wrapped his arm around her and held out his finger for her son to grab.

"Hey little man, your momma will get you fed. Growing boy like you needs a lot to eat." His eyes moved up from the baby in a calculating move over her body. She had quickly regained her slim silhouette, apart from her enhanced bustline. Peter's eyes caressed her figure as she fumbled with the blanket and her shirt, finally settling her son at her breast.

The baby fussed as Bella sat stiffly, Peter's body heat washing over her right side. He reached over and cupped his hand behind JJ's head, forcibly pushing the line of propriety even further as he leaned toward the nursing baby.

He spoke to the child instead of focusing his eyes on Bella, but she was still frozen in an odd mixture of terror and discomfort. "There's no man on earth who will love this boy more than I will. You need help, Bell. You both need someone to take care of you. I can do that, and we can give little Jasper some younger brothers and sisters, too. Just think about it."

With another kiss to her forehead, he unfolded his tall frame and strode quietly out the bedroom door. Just before it closed, Bella saw Nettie's wide eyes staring between them, and that was enough to push her to tears.

When the house was asleep, Bella packed up her bags and left a note for her son, and another for Jasper's mother.

_I'm so sorry, but I just can't do it. Everybody was right—I am too young. He'll be better off here with you, with his family. Just please tell him I love him._

~oOo~

It was nearly eight when she reached the bus station—just in time to see the bus pull away down the highway. "No!" she screamed, no longer worried about who would hear her. Her bags fell from her hands and she dropped to the ground beside them, curling her arms around her knees as she lowered her head and began to cry.

"Excuse me, miss? Are you okay?" The voice was familiar, though she had no idea where to place it until she raised her head and met his eyes. They both gasped as they took in their matching jackets and familiar faces.

"Ed- Edward? Is that really you?" She gaped at the tall man before her, noting the extreme changes from her last memory of him. Edward was several years ahead of her in school, and he had briefly dated Bella's sister when they were younger. She remembered him leaving just after graduation to join the army, but what he was doing in Nacogdoches, Texas was anyone's guess.

"Bells? How are you– I mean, why… What are you doing here?" His scruffy face was pinched with pain as he leaned heavily on his crutches. Another kind of pain washed through him when the girl he remembered from home lurched to her feet and he caught a glimpse of the name on her jacket. _Whitlock_.

He had no idea what Bella was doing in Texas, but he did know where Jasper Whitlock was. He would never forget that boy's courage, and he had made his way to Jasper's home town after being discharged to pay his respects to Whit's family.

"I, um… it's kind of a long story," she answered, looking down at her feet with an embarrassed flush to her cheeks. As her eyes studied the ground, she realized the man facing her was standing on only one foot. She followed the line of his leg up to where its missing mate ended just below the knee. "Oh, Edward!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "What happened to you?"

Green eyes met brown—both aged wildly beyond their years—and his mouth pulled up in a sick echo of his former crooked grin. "I lived through hell, little girl. I'm still there most days."

She straightened her shoulders and stared back boldly, not intimidated in the least. "I've spent some time there myself. Maybe we can travel together?"

Against everything he knew, Edward followed her up the steps on the bus heading west. They landed in California where Bella's natural flower child style actually let her fit in for once, and Edward's growing hair and scruffy beard didn't look out of place in the least. His fatigues and dog tags still drew suspicious glances, but his missing limb gave him an angle to buy the drugs they used to hide from their memories.

The summer passed in a haze, but the two travel companions kept close together. Their friendship was strictly platonic—especially once she opened up to him about how she met Jasper, and exactly who she left behind in Texas. Whit was one of his closest friends over in the jungles of Vietnam, and he owed the man his life.

Bella's sudden appearance gave Edward a goal to work toward—a person to keep safe and a debt to repay. That was why, at the end of August, when he found her passed out in a bedroom with an unfamiliar stoner, Edward decided it was time to lead her home to her father.

Charlie welcomed his little girl back with a heartfelt apology, wide open arms, and a tear in his eye after being left completely alone. After graduating, Rosalie had followed Emmett up to Canada where he was playing football—something that didn't sit right with either Edward or Bella.

Determined to put the last year behind her, Bella settled back into her junior year of high school. She took her place in the school marching band, and studied hard every night with Edward's help. He'd gotten a job at the diner of all places, where Marge let him sit on a stool when his leg got tired of the new prosthetic, or his hands shook too badly from the flashbacks. She was the first to notice how he brightened up when Bella came in to work her shift three afternoons a week after school.

The night of the first home football game, Bella was sitting in the stands with the school band, getting ready to play the national anthem. Everything she did was half-hearted, since half her heart was left back in Texas in the form of a little boy with blond curls and brown eyes.

"Now we'll have a moment of silence for those of our friends and family who have given their lives in Vietnam." The announcer began reading while Bella tried desperately to think of anything else. She froze in shock when the last name was read, "and Jasper Whitlock."

She fled the bleachers, seeking solace alone in the dark under the cool metal risers. Leaning against the support pillar, she gave in to the tears she'd held back so many times over the past five months. Grieving the boy she had barely known and the life he should have lived.

Two warm, familiar hands turned her into a solid chest, stroking through her tangled curls as she cried against his shirt. "I'm sorry, Bella, I shouldn't have done that. I thought you would be okay. I just wanted to honor him here… in some way."

She looked up through her tears to see his pain-filled green eyes staring down at her with an open plea—for her forgiveness, for her friendship, for her love. Under the stands, she took a deep breath and opened her heart once more.

Leaning up on her toes, she pressed a gentle kiss to his open lips, smiling softly as she pulled away. "Thank you, Edward. It was a very nice gesture. Maybe we can both move forward now."

~oOo~oOo~oOo~

_Forks, WA  
June, 1990_

He stepped through the door, barely noticing the tinkling of the bell as he took a deep breath of the fresh homey scents. Apple pie, roast beef, and he could swear he could smell that chocolate cake taunting him from the front counter.

It was just as he leaned over to lift the glass lid on the cake plate that she stepped through the swinging door from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron as she reached up to brush a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. He looked up, embarrassed at being caught, but the words he was going to say died on his tongue as he met her warm brown eyes.

He'd never seen her in person, but he slept with her picture under his pillow for most of the past eighteen years. Her eyes were familiar though—they matched his perfectly, something that made him stand out in his blue-eyed family.

"Jasper?" Her voice was shaky, and she covered her mouth with a trembling hand as she took in his tall frame, soft blond curls, and achingly familiar face. She shook her head in denial as her mind tried to comprehend who she was seeing. The black and gold letterman's jacket with bold cream lettering was hard to deny. _Whitlock._ "No. It's not possible!"

"It's me, Momma. It's JJ—Jasper Junior," he assured her as he reached for her hand and pulled his tattered picture from his pocket. Her eyes welled up with fresh tears as she looked from the teenage girl with the tiny baby to the grown man before her. A strangled sob left her mouth as she ran around the counter and threw herself into his arms.

Neither paid attention to the door opening behind them, until her husband's voice broke through their bubble. "Bella? Love? Who is this?"

It was Edward's turn to gasp when the tall boy released his mother and turned to face him. Edward stepped back, wholly unprepared for the sight before him. He didn't catch the details that Bella had seen—all he saw was the familiar face and frame of the man who saved his life all those years ago.

He pressed his clenched fists against his eyes and shook his head violently as he dropped his cane and staggered back. Bella darted over to support him, while JJ just stood there, unsure what to do.

"Shh, Eddie. Shh. It's okay. Everything is okay. I'm here. You're here. Listen to me. Listen to my voice. I love you, Edward. I love you…" Bella kept up a steady stream of reassuring murmurs as she wrapped her small arms around her husband and pulled his head down to rest on her narrow shoulder.

Everything was tense for several long heartbeats, until Edward let out a gasping breath, and then choked on a sob as he sagged against her. JJ stepped behind her to catch them as they fell to ground, and she spared him a smile over her shoulder in thanks.

Edward tried to work through the horrifying flashback, the one he had always tried his best to keep from his wife. He saw the sunny Texas boy who had charmed their whole company. He saw the grenade coming straight for them, with no time to react, and nowhere to go.

He felt the powerful burn of the explosives as he was shoved aside, his left leg taking the brunt of the force, beneath the body of his fallen brother. Tears poured down his face as he saw the light go out of Jasper's sky blue eyes, his honey blond curls caked with blood, grease, and soot.

"He saved me." It was a near-silent whisper, but one he had no choice but to give voice to. He raised his head and looked Jasper's son in the eye. "Your father saved my life."

JJ's response was interrupted by the bell above the door and a very loud herd of kids. They ran straight for the counter, paying no attention to their parents and the stranger huddled together on the floor. The oldest boy was the first to notice them, and he hurried over as Edward began to heave himself to his feet.

"Here, Pops, let me help you. How did you end up down there anyway?" The boy was only fourteen but already stood nearly as tall as his father, and he chided him in a very adult tone of voice. He finally turned his brown eyes to see the man standing close to his mother, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Bella's eyes filled with tears again as her boys saw each other for the first time. She kept one hand on JJ's elbow and led him closer to his younger brother. "Jas- I mean, JJ, this is your brother. CJ, this is Jasper Whitlock."

Jasper cocked his head at his mother and gave her a smile that took her back almost two decades. "JJ and CJ, huh? You got a thing for initials, Momma?"

Edward stepped forward between the two boys, unable to keep his distance any longer. "He's named after my father—and yours too, son. His full name is Carlisle Jasper Cullen."

Bella's eyes stared back at him from Whit's familiar face, but Edward held that conflicting gaze with all his might. JJ sized him up and then glanced at his brother and smiled again. "That's a fine name, CJ. A real fine name."

Just then, their daughters came running in from the back room in a dizzying assortment of browns, greens, and reds, making JJ smile even more. He loved his Uncle Peter, but he'd always longed for a mother, and he wouldn't have minded some siblings as well. Since he was going to be attending college in Seattle, maybe he could get to know the rest of his family.

Deciding to take advantage of the momentous day, Bella and Edward closed the diner they had become the proud proprietors of and headed out to take their oldest son home. She had another aching flash of déjà vu when she felt JJ's hand at her back, gently guiding her through the door after Edward.

And like that first day so many years before, she was filled with nerves and excitement. She knew that a tall, blond-haired boy would change her life once more. Just as his father had.


End file.
